Refrigeration



Sept. 24, 1935. G. VARNEY 2,015,167

REFRIGERATIO N Filed Sept. 5, 1951 as a fluid for filling the refrigeration tube.

Patented Sept. 24, 1935 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,015,167 REFRIGERATION Gordon Varney, Bradenton, Fla.

Application September 5, 1931, Serial No. 561,456 19 Claims. o1. 52-104) Having'due regard for the problems involvedin quick freezing, as outlined in the applications above mentioned, it is the particular object of this invention to provide a method for quick freezing which shall answer the objectives of both of these prior applications and in addition, provide some advantages to be found in neither.

It is the prime object of my invention to devise a method of and means for providing for quick freezing which will insure a maximum heat transfer. and a minimum of frictional resistance.

To this end, it is an object of my invention to provide a refrigerating tube through which the packages to be refrigerated are passed, the refrigerating tube being substantially filled with fluids of differing specific gravities. In my prior applications I have discussed the use of mercury For some packages mercury is excellent, having extraordinarily high heat transfer properties and acting as an excellent flotation means for the packages, preventing friction'with the base of the tube and insuring contact with the upper walls of the tube for refrigeration. For other more fragile packages the use of a tube entirely filled with mercury would result in so great a pressure against the top walls as to be injurious to the package. v

For this reason I have devised an apparatus I for and a means of quick freezing in which the refrigerating tube is filled to a certain limited extent with a fluid of relatively high density and high heat conductive properties while the remainder of the tube is filled with a fluid of lower density and yet of relatively high heat conduc tive properties. The two fluids chosen should be substantially nonemiscible, at least one of which is capable of maintaining its own level. For instance, mercury and brine, mercury and Prestone, mercury and alcohol, mercury or Prestone and a fluid gas of high heat conductivity may be used. The use of two such fluids will permit a range of possibilities of operation, each of which is believed to be entirely novel, in which either of the fluids, or both, either may be circulated or substantially static.

In addition to the field of endeavor, as outlined in my preceding applications, this double fluid 'gravities, both of which are substantially static idea lends itself particularly well to another'application untouched, in my preceding applications, to wit; the manufacture of ice, or the like, commercially. In this case, mercury or some similar fluid of high specific gravity and high heat conductive properties will be used to the amount that it approximately provides flotation for the filled ice containers, while the remainder of the'refrigerating tube or device is filled with a fluid of lower specific gravity though of high heat conductivity; the two liquids combining their efforts toward flotation. Such a system not only provides for an extraordinarily high rate of heat transfer but also, by reason of the flotation effect, permits the successive passing of a plurality of articles to be refrigerated through a refrigerating device with a minimum of frictional resistance.

Furthermore, there are instances where certain packages are of relatively high specific gravity I and require, for their flotation, a fluid which may have injurious effects upon the package. It is another object of my invention, in such cases, to provide one fluid for the primary purpose of flotation and heat exchange regardless of its action on the contents of the package, and a second fluid, of lower specific gravity, which is of high heat conductivity and which has no deleterious effects on the package.

It is another object of my invention to provide a process of quick hardening of frozen ice cream and like commodities.

Other objects of my-invention will be found in the accompanying specification and claims, and will be disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section, substantially diagrammatic, showing my refrigerating tube with a plurality of heat conductive fluids, non-miscible and of differing specific within the tube.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of Figure 1.

Figure am a similar view of my refrigerating device in which a substantially static fluid is used for flotation means and a gaseous fluid of high heat conductivity and of qualities inactive with respect to the package to be cooled, is used to fill the remainder of the tube, this gaseous fluid being disclosed as having a separate supplemen- 0 tary means for its further refrigeration.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through a modification of my device particularly adaptable to the commercial manufacture of ice or for the I hardening of commodities already frozen.

Referring now with greater particularity to the drawing, my device will be seen to be comprised, as follows:

In Figure 1 I have disclosed a refrigeration chamber I, having a refrigeration tube 2 extending therethrough. The tube 2 is designed in such a manner as to provide a fiuid seal and is disclosed as of a substantially fiat U-shaped configuration, the ends 3 and 4 being upturned for this purpose. Any suitable means, such as is disclosed in my preceding co-pending applications, above referred to, may be used for providing for the successive passing of a plurality of articles 5 to be frozen through my refrigerating tube 2. Such a means is schematically disclosed at 6.

(Within the tube 2 it will be seen that I have provided, as flotation means, and as heat conductive means, two liquids l and 8, the surface level of each being indicated by its reference charac ter. The liquid I is of greater specific gravity and may be mercury or some other liquid with similar characteristics of specific gravity and heat conductivity, while the liquid 8 is of lower specific gravity but of high heat conductivity. It will be understood that my invention contemplates the use of a refrigeration tube 2 of a size and cross sectional configuration approximating that of the package to be frozen.

In Figure 3 I have disclosed a modification of my device wherein a liquid and a gas are used as the two means for providing for heat exchange; the liquid supplying, in addition to its heat transfer properties, the agency of flotation, and the gas, filling that portion of the space in the tube 2 above the liquid, being provided with a separate refrigeration system. The liquid level is shown by character 9, indicative of the liquid and its level, and the gas is indicated by reference character Ill. The gas 10 is provided with a separate cooling system indicated by compressor H and pipes l2, l3 and M in conjunction with a separate refrigerating chamber I5. The gas I is selected as one which will be chemically inactive with respect to the article to be frozen.

In Figure 3 I have disclosed a modification of my device particularly adaptable for the quick manufacture of ice commercially or for the quick hardening of ice cream or other frozen commodities. In this structure a substantially U- shaped trough I6 is provided. \The trough i6 is provided with a plurality of ducts ll, adjacent the inner surface of the trough, for the admission and circulation of a cooling agent. The trough is partially filled with two or more liquids l8 and I9, which are substantially non-miscible. The fluid I8 is of greater specific gravity and of high heat conductivity, while the fluid I9 is of lesser specific gravity but also of high heat conductivity. Containers 20 are provided for the product to be hardened or frozen, while a cover 2| is provided for the trough. The cover 2| is preferably of a material of low rate of conductivity.

Having described my invention in detail it will be seen that its operation is as follows.

A sufficient quantity of fluid of high specific gravity and high heat conductivity is provided to insure flotation of the packages to be refrigerated. This prevents friction of the packages in their passage through the refrigeration device and also provides for an excellent heat exchange adjacent its base. The liquid or gas 8, l0 and/or IQ of lower specific gravity is selected for qualities of high heat conductivity and non-deleterious action on the package to be frozen. It co-acts with the fluid of higher specific gravity for flotation and heat exchange. The apparatus shown at 6 is merely a schematic device for providing for successive feeding of a plurality of packages to be frozen and forms, per se, no specific part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said article being filled, in 10 part, with a plurality of liquids of high heat conductivity and of differing specific gravities.

2. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating l5 chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said article being filled, in part, with a plurality of substantially non-miscible liquids of high heat conductivity and of differing specific gravities.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said article being filled, in part, with a plurality of liquids of high heat conductivity and of differing specific gravities, one of said fluids being substantially static.

4. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said article being filled, in part, with a plurality of substantially non-miscible liquids of high heat conductivity and of differing specific gravities, one of said fluids beingsubstantially static.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the inner walls of the chamber being in intimate thermal contact with the article, and the spaces between said articles and said walls being filled with a plurality of liquids of differing specific gravities.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the inner walls of the chamber being in intimate thermal contact with the article, and the spaces between said articles and said walls being filled with a plurality of liquids of high heat conductive properties.

7. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the inner walls of the chamber being in intimate thermal contact with the article, and the spaces between said articles and said walls being filled with a plurality of non-miscible fluids of high heat conductive properties.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber .an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber being filled with two liquids of high heat conductivity, one of said liquids being of relatively high specific gravity and the other of relatively low specific gravity.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls of said chamber being filled with two non-miscible liquids of high heat conductivity, one of said chamber being filled with two liquids of high heat conductivity, one of said liquids being of relatively high specific gravity and the other of relatively low specific gravity.

11. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigeration chamber an article receivable in and adapted to be passed through said refrigerating chamber, the article being in intimate thermal contact with the inner walls of the chamber and the space between the inner Walls of said cham- 1 her being filled with two non-miscible liquids of high heat conductivity, one of said liquids being ofrelatively high specific gravity and the other of relatively low specific gravity.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber a plurality of articles recelvable in and adapted to be passed successively through a refrigerating chamber, the space between the inner walls-of said chamber and said articles being filled with a-plurality of liquids of differing specific gravities.

13. .In a refrigerating apparatus including a-refrigerating chamber a plurality of articles receivable in and adapted to be passed successively through a refrigerating chamber, the'space between the inner walls of said chamber and said articles being filled with a plurality of non-miscible liquids of differing specific gravities.

14. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber a plurality of articles receivable in and adapted to be passed successively through a refrigerating chamber, said articles being in intimate thermal contact with the walls of said chamber and the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said articles being filled with a plurality of liquids-of differing specific gravities.

15. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigerating chamber a plurality of articles receivable in and adapted to be passed successively through a refrigerating chamber, said articles being in intimate thermal contact with the walls of said chamber and the space between the inner walls of said chamber and said articles being filled with a plurality of liquids of dlfiering specific gravities, one of said liquids being substantially static.

16. As a refrigerating apparatus, a refrlgerating chamber, a heat conduction tube extending through said chamber, said tube having a crosssectional area approximating that of the article to be refrigerated to provide for intimate thermal contact between its walls and the said article,

and a plurality of heat conducting liquids filling 20 the space between said articles and said walls.

17. As a refrigerating apparatus, a refrigerating chamber, a heat conduction tube extending through said chamber, said tube having a cross-sectional area approxirt'iatting that of the 25 article to be refrigerated to-provide for intimate thermal contact betweenits walls and the said article, and a plurality of non-miscible heat con-' ducting fluids filling the space between said articles and said walls.

18. In a refrigerating apparatus including a refrigeration chamber, the method of refrigerating articles which consists in floating the articles through the refrigeration chamber on a plurality of fluids of varying densities.

19. In a refrigeration apparatus including a 

